Haleigh | M/V Osprey | 06/04/2021 | 5:30 pm

Our Friday evening sunset tour began as we traveled north up San Juan Channel hoping to find Bigg’s killer whales. Earlier reports showed this pod traveling south through the Strait of Georgia, allowing us to time our arrival with them right around Matia Island. Sure enough we spotted them as we traveled through President's channel and into Haro Strait. We recognized them as Bigg’s Killer whales, including Mother T46B (Female, 1988) and her...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | April 19th, 2021 | 13:00

Shortly after departing the dock, we received word of some Killer Whale reports northeast of Orcas Island. We immediately started heading that way north around the islands, passing lots of wildlife along the way such as harlequin ducks, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, cormorants, Harbor Seals, and swimming Steller’s Sea Lions. About halfway between Barnes and Matia Islands, we started to see three spouts of Bigg’s Killer Whales...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | March 29th, 2021 | 13:00

M/V Sea Lion was chartered by an all-female crew today! Captain Sarah and I set out to have one of the craziest and most exciting days this 2021 season in the Salish Sea! We immediately left the dock with reports of Killer Whales in the vicinity. Not just any Killer Whales, though, there were rumors of SIX different families of Bigg’s Killer Whales- averaging around 22 transient orcas uniting on the upper west side of San Juan Island...

Olivia | M/V Kestrel | September 13th, 2020 | 14:00

With wildfires burning in California, Oregon, and Washington, the San Juan Islands were cradled in a thick layer of smoke. In addition to that, a thick fog settled in, making visibility extend only about 100 yards and eventually 250 to 300 yards off every direction of the boat. We did not let this weather get us down and set off north in search of whales!

Just north of Spieden and Flattop Islands, we caught a glimpse of black dorsal...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | September 8th, 2020 | 13:00

Leaving the dock today, we did not let the smoke tear down our spirits as we headed south through San Juan Channel. Reaching Cattle Pass, we heard rumors of Bigg’s Killer Whales southwest of Hein Bank and decided to aim there with our best chances of showing our guests something black and white in the water. Our entire way there we were spotting Harbor Seals and Harbor Porpoise swimming between the shallow Salmon and Hein Banks.

It...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | September 7th, 2020 | 13:00

We left the dock today with no reports of whales in the area, a normal start with boats all leaving within the same hour out searching throughout the Salish Sea. Heading north towards boundary pass, we caught word through the Pacific Whale Watch Association of a family of Bigg’s Killer Whales on the Canadian side of north Haro Strait. Captain Pete decided to aim for that area in hopes we are lucky enough to be in the area with the...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | Septemeber 6th, 2020 | 13:00

The best thing about viewing wildlife is the pure fact that they are WILD! Every behavior is based on their timeline and comprised of raw moments they would be partaking in with or without us in the vicinity. That means, some days we travel almost 2 hours one way to see whales, some days we only have 3 sea lions hauled out opposed to 15, and some days we get lucky when they come right near San Juan Island and make the day feel...

Olivia | M/V Kestrel | August 30th, 2020 | 14:00

It was the iconic Pacific Northwest weather today, going into the trip with sunshine and warmth, and ending the trip in rain and clouds. However, we do not let the shift in weather get us down just like it does not get down the whales- our trip proved this theory! We were lucky enough to leave Friday Harbor and immediately between Turn and Shaw Islands, we saw a Minke Whale! The Minke Whale fought against the nickname “Slinky Minke”...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | August 28th, 2020 | 13:30

It was a flawless day out on the water this afternoon. Captain Pete and I were lucky enough to inform our passengers that we were leaving the dock with a rumored whale report in the area, which already made it a special day. What was even better? The rumor was that the whales were just south of Jones Island, right in San Juan Channel. Who on our boat has good karma?! Scooting up to Jones Island, we caught sight of those black dorsal...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | August 25th, 2020 | 13:30

We started the day with a report of Transient Orca as we left the dock. This immediately shot Captain Sarah and I into excitement, since every day we leave port having to find whatever whales might be swimming in our waters. Without whales being tagged, everything is found based on visual sight. Not only was there a report, but they were rumored to be close! What!? If this held true, our jobs were going to look way too easy. We...